Mooring ball vs slip: my honest math after two seasons on each

Question

Season on a mooring, season in a slip, same harbor, same 34' boat:

MOORING: $1,100/season + $400 launch service + dinghy hassle + soaked groceries twice = real cost ~$1,500 and some marriage capital.
SLIP: $5,800/season + zero hassle + shore power + walked aboard with coffee = real cost $5,800.

The mooring saved me $4,300 and I used the boat HALF as much. Cost per trip aboard was basically identical. Nobody tells you that part.

gulfgypsy · Answer

'Cost per trip aboard' is the only metric that matters and nobody computes it. A slip is a usage subscription — you use the boat more because it's easy.

northshore_ned · Answer

Same experience. The dinghy run kills spontaneous Tuesday-evening sails, and spontaneous Tuesday sails are the whole point of owning a boat.

moorings_mike · Answer

Update for fairness: mooring crowd will note the boat sails better off a ball (no dock rash, bottom stays cleaner with current). Both true. Still in the slip.

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